Ricerca sociale: disegni, metodi e tecniche

The main objectives of the course are to acquire knowledge of the main methods of social research and to develop skills useful for the design and evaluation of complex research projects in the socio-political field. Students will be guided in the application of their knowledge to the design, implementation and critical analysis of a research project through a programme divided into three parts. The first two parts are dedicated to the presentation of the main methods and techniques of social research: quantitative (sample surveys and secondary analysis); qualitative (discursive interviews, focus groups and ethnography); mixed methods; digital methods. The last part of the course is dedicated to the guided discussion of some case studies and examples of empirical research.

At the end of the course, students will be expected to:
- understand the conceptual frameworks and tools specific to the diverse field of social research methodology;
- understand the ethical/deontological issues encountered when conducting social research in the field;
- be able to design social research projects based on specific research questions in the social and political sphere;
- be able to critically evaluate different methods and theoretical-practical alternatives, based on the knowledge objectives and available resources;
- be able to communicate the methodological choices underlying a research project to an audience of specialists and non-specialists.